1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to paper-like articles used to cover items, and more particularly to a cover designed to fit over and around a telephone mouthpiece or earpiece for minimizing transmission of diseases.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Studies have shown that most telephones, or more correctly, the mouthpieces and earpieces thereof, accumulate a tremendous amount of germs ranging from the streptococcus bacteria to the herpes virus. This is primarily caused by direct contact with the mouth or ear of a carrier of the germ. With the growing concern in this country over transmission of infectious diseases, it is surprising that most individuals do not take some precautionary measures in reducing the health risks associated with telephones, particularly public telephones, which are typically located in commercial establishments and are used by a large number of persons who are total strangers to one another.
Several attempts have been made to provide a means for disinfecting or otherwise eliminating the germs on telephone instruments. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,741,666 issued to M. Lutz on Apr. 10, 1956, discloses an attachment for a telephone mouthpiece made up of two rings. A first ring contains a number of compartments into which antiseptics, germicides, or other substances can be placed. A second ring acts as a cap over the first ring and secures them both to the telephone mouthpiece. Channels through the first ring allow the germicide or other substance to pass over the mouthpiece. Another device, described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,938,967 issued to R. Guardino on May 31, 1960, provides a replaceable germicidal disk or filter which is locked within a cap which in turn clamps over the telephone mouthpiece. Other very similar devices are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,249 issued to J. King on Sep. 8, 1964 (sponge-like disk and cap with "arms"), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,243,527 issued to H. Sternheim on Mar. 29, 1966 (lip with beads on lower edge of cap).
More complicated implements have been employed for this same purpose. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,238,313 issued to T. Kalogris on Mar. 1, 1966, a composite mouthpiece utilizes a filter, inner and outer rings, an antiseptic disk and a cap designed to slide over existing mouthpieces. In order to replace the filter, the cap must be removed, the inner and outer rings separated, and the antiseptic disk withdrawn from two surrounding disks. The use of germicidals in these devices has been further refined in U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,040 issued to M. Kaneyasu on Feb. 15, 1972. Kaneyasu has taken certain volatile medicinal fluids and combined them with microcrystalline cellulose and corn starch to form flat discs or tablets. The disinfectant sublimates or vaporizes each time the phone is used due to air circulation. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,628 issued to V. Thompson on Dec. 4, 1984, depicts a unique invention in which an ultraviolet radiation emitter is placed between the diaphragm and the cover of the mouthpiece. This electromagnetic radiator emits a frequency that will destroy bacteria and the like. Obviously, great care must be taken to insure that the device does not malfunction.
Each of the above-described inventions suffer from several serious drawbacks. First of all, although some portions of the devices may be throwaway parts or otherwise replaceable, the total unit is not designed to be disposable, requiring some amount of manipulation of the components in order to change out the depleted parts. Furthermore, most of these devices are intended to be used at a fixed station, i.e., on only one particular phone, most likely at the user's home. Finally, the production of these units is prohibitively expensive, since the multiplicity of parts involved requires excess manufacturing costs. It would, therefore, be desirable and advantageous to devise a telephone mouthpiece cover which is totally disposable, comes in one integral unit, and yet is cheap to manufacture, and further may be easily used on telephones at any location.